3 replies to this topic

[SebaceousOne]

Since I was 12, my skin has been oil city. Not just my face, but my body. I went to the dermatologist at age 14 because of two frisbee sized brown patches on my thighs that the dermatologist decided were buildup of oil because of my overactive oil glands. Even now at age 28, I get oil buildup in my ears and in my eyes. I have to have my ears flushed every 10-12 months or so, otherwise my hearing gets 100 percent blocked with earwax. My skin is pretty much clear now at age 28, BUT -- the oily skin is just as oily as when I was 13. Really no change there.

At age 17, I noticed hair thinning, and I began to realize that my oily skin and my shedding hair were going hand-in-hand. Over the past 11 years, I have had about a dozen random days where I would wake up, shower, and realize that I was having an "oil free day" (actually, it would usually last for 2-3 days when it happens). I would shower, and I'd realize that not only was my face not oily at all, but my hair wasn't shedding at all either. And believe me, when you're young and you start to notice that your hair is shedding, you count every strand in the shower....at least I did. But really, maybe once a year, I would have a 2-3 day span where my body just stopped over-producing oil, and it corrected my hair shedding. Then as quickly as it came, it would go away, and my body would return to over-producing oil.

I've been on Propecia, on and off, since Age 20. I say 'on and off' because it causes unwanted psychological side effects in me (anxiety and depression, which I didn't realize until recently when I stopped it for a full 2 weeks, along with rash, and other things). When I'm taking Propecia every day, my oily skin goes away, and my hair loss subsides. If I just miss one day on Propecia, my oily skin comes back.

I want to find a natural alternative to Propecia or something that will help control my overactive hormones/whatever is causing my body to be so damn oily! But everywhere I turn, I'm just confused. Saw Palmetto sounds interesting and some people say it helped their oily skin -- BUT I just found out it's a blood thinner. That's kind of scary, isn't it? I mean it could make me excessively bleed. Has anyone here had any problems with Saw Palmetto thinning their blood? Then people say to Take Vitamin A or Vitamin E or something, but then if you take too much, it can apparently cause hair shedding! Not what I want. I just wish there was some way to correct this overly-oily body of mine. The overly-oilyness and the hair shedding definitely go hand in hand in my case (not saying it does in everyone's case, but it does for me). Does anyone have any words of wisdom, or feel that my case sounds like something they might know how to treat? Suggestions are totally welcome!

Edited by SebaceousOne, 07 March 2011 - 05:32 PM.

[tritonxiv]

As far as I'm aware the only two consistently effective methods for reducing sebum excretion are Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) and Accutane. As hair-loss is listed as one of Accutane's side effects, I would recommend B5. Somewhere between 2-10 grams per day should be sufficient.

[wowacne]

Try Levulan PDT. It definitely helps.

[skin-matters]

Try half a lemon squeezed in a glass of water - possibly try a little more in your case, 1 day on, 1 day off, give it a go for two weeks and see if it makes a difference, but be super sensitive to how your skin is and pay attention. This may sound a bit like an old wives tale but it works for me, i have been doing it for a while/but except for recently which i know i have a complain about things, but i hope to get back into it, the taste is awful first thing in the morning but like it's worth a try - so drink it and give it a go!

Sleeping is another factor, pay attention if you are getting really great sleep the next day you should feel fine and be at your best and also pay attention are you waking up in the middle of the night, a good sleeping patter or routine is always a positive.

I also know, that sometimes late nights on the weekend when i get home i want to shower before i go to bed, as it's quite a horrible feeling. It's like someone has poured a bucket of oil on you and you are supposed to function throughout the day or go to bed, very uncomfortable!

Just hang in there and glide high, like the saying goes "If your going through hell, keep going!"

Good luck, and a tip would be, if you are balding, try and wash your hair once, like for me my hair would get oily after a good 12 hrs, so my second shower which would be maybe say 5-6 hrs later, i let water run through, no shampoo, how dirty could it have gotten, i don't worry about my hair being too oily - to some extent no, so having it a little oil shouldn't be a problem and it's a little healthy.

Also one other thing i learnt to do is this, let the water rinse you, wash your hair first, this way you wont have oil falling onto your skin after you have washed your head, say you wash you body first, and you have water running over your head, the oil will be picked up with the warm water and be rinsing onto the rest of the body - if ya get me, just a little common sense as you will have oily skin - meaning what was the whole point of the shower!?

Otherwise don't let it worry you, if you stress, fine, use it to keep you going but never worry unless it makes you do something about it.

Talk to someone who will listen, i have told a few ppl about my situation, and ppl think it's something off topic, and i don't like when people act like this because it is something that can get you down too, i actually consider it a oily skin condition rather than something small. I was at a dermatologist once, and i said, look i don't care about pimples, its the oil, and his like off on tangents that thats what acne is, and you don't have pimples and that you don't need to go on meds, and ive been suffering and your telling me blah blah blah. It's so frustrating when you do tell someone and they think it's nothing, while what you are going through is a lot to deal with!

Ok anyway im off for now, don't know how else i could help you for now but i hope it goes well for you either way!